Treasuries and How the U.S. Government is Funded
Financial Services
The U.S. government is a large federal bureaucracy that needs money to run its operations. To this end, the government funds itself in two ways. First is the tax revenue it collects. However, the government often does not collect enough in taxes to fund itself. Additionally, federal inflows and outflows do not coincide throughout the year, leading to budgetary shortfalls. As a result, the Department of the Treasury (the Treasury) issues bonds of varying maturities referred to as Treasuries.
Digital Cash, Real Consequences: Combatting Fraud & Securing the Gift Card Economy
Trade
As retailers, law enforcement, and consumers continue adapting to increasingly sophisticated gift card fraud schemes, Congress faces decisions about whether existing frameworks adequately address the scale and structure of modern retail crime.
Financing Stability: International Financial Institutions and Advancing U.S. Interests Abroad
Trade
International Financial Institutions (IFIs) can be tools for supporting global development goals and expanding trade opportunities, but their future funding is uncertain.
Navigating a National Patchwork: State-Level AI Regulations
Governance Technology
As artificial intelligence integrates deeper into the economy, crafting a federal regulatory framework as fast as technology advances has proven challenging. As states advance regulations on their own, developers and businesses using AI are navigating an increasingly complex web of rules and guidelines.
Critical Mineral Supply Chains: Risks, Dependencies, and Diversification
Trade
Critical minerals are becoming increasingly important to U.S. global economic competitiveness and security, and highly concentrated supply chains require diversification.
Advanced Recycling Technologies and the Future of Plastic Waste Management
Climate & Sustainability
Advanced recycling technologies have emerged as an important complement to traditional recycling systems, enabling the recovery of materials that would otherwise be rejected by mechanical recycling facilities.
Modernization of the Clinical Trials Framework
Health Care
Clinical trials are studies in which researchers assign participants one or more interventions to evaluate their effects on health-related biomedical or behavioral outcomes. Often, the intervention is investigational, which means it is not yet approved for doctors to prescribe to patients, while some Clinical trials study approved therapies. Participants in clinical trials may choose to enroll for a variety of reasons. One common reason is to receive the newest, most cutting-edge treatment when other treatment options have failed or stalled. This can be a source of hope for individuals with rare diseases, aggressive forms of cancer, or other diagnoses with limited treatment options.
USMCA’s First Major Review: Issues to Watch in 2026
Trade
The July 2026 review of USMCA presents a critical opportunity to renew the agreement, reaffirm trilateral trade priorities, and resolve ongoing disputes between the U.S., Mexico, and Canada.